HAMADANRadiating
with six straight avenues from a central square (Imam Khomeini),
Hamadan is one of the oldest continually inhabited towns, centers of
civilization, and numerous capitals of different dynasties that have
ruled Iran through the ages. Capital of the province of Hamadan, at
the foot of Mount Alvand, and located at an altitude of 1,829 m above
sea level, it is 400 km to the southwest of Tehran by road via Qazvin,
and can be reached by air as well. It is a trade center for a fertile
farm region where fruit and grain are grown.

In the modern Hamadan
that is built on the plans prepared by the German architect Karl Fritsch,
nothing is left to be seen of ancient Ecbatana of the Medes' capital
before they formed a union with the Persians. It was the residence of
Achaemenian Kings, and the summer resort of the Parthian and Sassanian
dynasties due to its strategic vicinity to Ctesiphon. In the 7th century
AD Hamadan was passed to the Arabs, and it was later held by the Seljuk
Turks (12th-13th centuries) and the Mongols (13th-14th
centuries).Hamadan's climate is mild and delightful in summers, and cold
in winters. Early spring and late autumn are the rainy seasons for the
region. To this day Hamadan is a very popular retreat with Iranians during
the warmer months when the climate in autumn and spring is one of the most
pleasant in the country, but winters are long and sever.

HagmatanehBefore going into a description
of the historical monuments of Hamadan, and regarding the town's rather
prolonged history, the reader is reminded of two hills on which some of
the most ancient remains can be seen even today, however not that much
interesting: I) Hagmatana Hill, with ruins of the walls and ramparts of
the Median and Achaemenian periods. Located in Ekbatan Street (north of
Ekbatan Square), which is presently under archaeological excavations (see
below); and 2) Mosalla Hill (now a park), situated in the east of
Ayatollah Mofatteh Avenue, which is said to be the ancient site of Anahita
Temple. According to some archaeologists, the site had been a Parthian
stronghold, the remains of which could be seen until a few years ago, with
parts of its ramparts visible even today.
The ruins of ancient Hagmatana, on the site of which the present Hamadan
stands, date from the period of Median monarchs (7th and early 6th
centuries BC) who had made that city their capital. Hagmatana was further
developed under the Achaemenian and Parthian rulers and was known as the
first capital of the ancient Persian Empire. Scientific excavations and
accidental diggings for construction works have resulted in the discovery
of numerous objects, including some gold and silver tablets, in the
region. This indicates that the treasury of the Achaemenian monarchs was
kept in Hagmatana and that the present Hamadan has been constructed upon
apart of the site of the ancient city. In the old Sar Qal'eh, Qal'eh Shah,
and Darab quarters, one could see the remains of a thick wall that once
enclosed the Achaemenian Darius' palace (521-486 BC). Some traces of the
Haft Hissar Palace and the historic ancient rampart, sparsely found in the
old citadel of Hagmatana bear witness to the grandeur of this capital of
the Median and the Achaemenian periods. However, an adequate appreciation
of this grandeur will only be possible when systematic scientific
excavations are carried out in this area. So far, the discovery of the
heads of a stone statue in the hillock Mosalla has proved the existence of
an Ashkanian (Arsacid) fort on that hill. At all events, Hagmatana has
been one of the important centers of the Sassanian period and has retained
the same position in the Islamic era. There exists ample evidence in the
history of Islamic period concerning its prosperity.